Infant Heating Pads
CPSC Recall #92097 - June 17, 1992
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 92097 |
| Recall Date | June 17, 1992 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | Approximately 40,000 |
Product
Infant Heating Pads
Description
WASHINGTON, DC -- Dragons Are Too Seldom, Inc., of Rapid City, SD, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is voluntarily recalling approximately 40,000 infant heating pads. These heating pads were sold under the names "Snoopy Safe Heating Pad for Babies," "Safe Heating Pad for Babies," and "Snooze Zoo Instant Heating Pad for Babies." Dragons Are Too Seldom, Inc. received reports of more than nine burn injuries to infants. The problem was discovered as a result of consumer complaints. The heating pads sold for approximately $15 to $20. The heating pad is a sealed plastic pouch containing sodium acetate solution. The pad is supposed to be heated by flexing a self- contained metal disk inside the pad, thereby causing crystallization. After the pad is used, it cools. A consumer must then heat the pad in boiling water or a microwave oven to return the crystals to the liquid form. Then the pad is left to cool to room temperature so it can again be heated by flexing the metal disk. However, if the pad is placed on an infant immediately after the pad is removed from boiling water or a microwave oven, it may cause a contact burn to the infant's skin or may leak hot sodium acetate solution onto the infant. The recalled heating pads were distributed nationwide from November 1988 to March 1992. Consumers should return these heating pads to Dragons Are Too Seldom, Inc. for replacement with an infant's item of equal value called the "Tub Buddie Puppet Wash Cloth." For more information, consumers may contact Dragons Are Too Seldom, Inc. toll free at 1-800-888-1495, or may write: Dragons Are Too Seldom, Inc., P.O. Box 8046, Rapid City, SD 57709-8046. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing this voluntary recall as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to reduce the estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction.
Hazard
If the pad is placed on an infant immediately after the pad is put in boiling water or removed from a microwave oven, it may leak hot fluid onto the infant or cause a thermal contact burn.
Incidents & Injuries
Dragons Are Too Seldom, Inc. received reports of more than nine burn injuries to infants. The problem was discovered as a result of consumer complaints.
Remedy Instructions
Return the product to Dragons Are Too Seldom, Inc. for replacement with a "Tub Buddie Puppet Wash Cloth."
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly, either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Replace) at no cost to you.
If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident, they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney, parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.